‘I didn’t want to make a MISTAKE’: Man United summer target Jean-Clair Todibo reveals his thinking behind sticking with Nice, despite contact being made about £34m transfer to replace Harry Maguire

• Jean-Clair Todibo reveals why he chose not to join Man United this summer 
• Erik ten Hag’s side were keen on signing the Nice player as centre-back cover   
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off!

Manchester United summer target Jean-Clair Todibo has admitted that he didn’t want to join Erik ten Hag’s side because he ‘didn’t want to make a mistake.’ 

The Nice defender also stated that he felt he had ‘guarantees’ at his current club and didn’t want to step into the ‘unknown’ when pressed on the reports linking him to United. 

Mail Sport reported back in August that the Red Devils were seeing him as centre-back cover, with Harry Maguire almost departing the club for West Ham. 

The England centre-half ultimately stayed at the club, despite David Moyes’ side tabling bids of around £30million. 

But when asked about the summer transfer window, while Todibo claimed he wanted to stay at Nice, he did admit he had considered a switch to a ‘top club’. 

‘I’m not going to lie and say that I didn’t have the thought to tell myself that perhaps I should play in a ‘top club’ to increase my chances [of playing for France], but there are also guarantees when playing at Nice,’ the 23-year-old told L’Equipe.

Jean-Clair Todibo (pictured) has admitted that he ‘didn’t want to make a mistake’ when asked about rumours that he could join Manchester United this summer 

The Red Devils were eyeing him up as a potential replacement for Harry Maguire (pictured) who had been heavily linked with a £30million move to West Ham

Erik ten Hag’s (pictured) side had been closing in on a £34m deal for Todibo, but the centre-back has revealed that he wanted to stay at Nice 

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He is no stranger to top level football either, having been contracted at Barcelona before he was snapped up by the Ligue 1 outfit in 2021 after a successful loan spell with the club. 

He has played a total of 106 games across all competitions for Nice during his two spells at the club, with his contract set to expire in 2027. 

But when pressed on the rumours linking him to Man United, he added that he was ‘waiting to be presented with the complete project’.  

‘I experienced it differently from my previous situations in my career. My thinking was much more in-depth, thoughtful. I didn’t want to make a mistake in my choice. I remained very calm,’ Todibo explained.

‘Reflection is much more important than when I started. I’m waiting to be presented with the complete project,’ Todibo added.

‘What is expected of me? Why am I coming? You shouldn’t arrive at a club like that. I know what I have at Nice. Why go into the unknown? So, everything must be clear. My first transfer, I was 18 years old. The thinking was not as thorough.’

The 23-year-old, who was in action for France during the international break last week, claimed that he was ‘waiting to be presented with the complete project’

Todibo has made three appearances for Nice so far this season. His contract at the club will expire in 2027 after signing from Barcelona in 2021

The centre-back, who has made three appearances this season registering one assist in the French top flight has been attracting interest from clubs around the English first division for some time, with Untied reportedly having been a front-runner to sign him. 

A deal worth around £34m was touted for the defender, with United adding him as well as three other centre-backs to their shortlist of players to fill Maguire’s vacant position. 

Those names included Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba, Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

And Nice will no doubt be glad of Todibo’s commitment to the club this summer, with their president Jean-Pierre Rivere having previously been candid on his desire for the defender to stay at the club. 

‘Today, we hope to keep him,’ Rivere said to Amazon Prime Sport, via Ouest France, before Nice’s match against Lille back in August. ‘We know that he has contact with different European clubs, but our intention is to keep him.

‘But until the transfer window is over, we cannot say anything with certainty. ‘ 

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